Stardust
by MelodyRose15
Summary: With the help of a little stardust we can all live forever... but what if it means there was never a smith on-board?
1. Chapter 1

**Stardust **

_**I do not own Doctor who, well I can dream! Actually no I hate spoilers! Anyway this one is set somewhere in between tooth and claw and school reunion, enjoy!**_

"It's the year 9087 and over there, is the entrance to stardust falls." The Doctor said one arm around Rose the other pointing to the huge iron gates up ahead. They were currently standing on the planet Croall, a little planet in the far corner of the universe. Rose was shivering, all she was wearing was a pair of tiny denim shorts and a pink t-shirt, and the Doctor had told her to dress for warm weather! He must have got it wrong again. The Tardis had landed on a purple grassed hill a few hundred meters from two huge iron gates, with a man standing out the front in a fancy uniform. As far as Rose could see, all that was beyond the gate was a grassy field with a couple hundred people walking around, talking.

"What are we doing here Doctor? You told me to dress for warm weather!" she rubbed her arms indignantly, feeling the goose bumps prickling her skin. What was the most confusing thing was that all the people on the other side of the gate were also wearing very little clothing, and a couple of them were carrying small silver drawstring bags. Taking her hand in his he began to walk towards the gates,

"I want to give you something Rose…" he looked hesitant, unsure of himself. Well that's new Rose thought, "I… you know how…" he was stumbling over his words, blushing slightly and running his other hand through his hair.

A few weeks ago Rose had told the Doctor she loved him and that she would travel with him forever. When he responded by telling her he loved her to she could see the pain in his eyes. But today that pain seemed lessened.

"Rose do you trust me?" he asked, looking at her.

"Course I do" she smiled at him, squeezing his hand.

"Then follow me!" letting go of her hand he began to run full pelt towards the gate, skidding to a halt in front of the… guard?

"May I see your papers Sir?" nodding the Doctor pulled out his physic paper and handed it to the man with a flourish. "Why didn't you say so immediately!" he stepped back towards a safe next to the gates. Opening it he pulled out one of the silver bags and handed it to him, "there you go Sir. Should be starting in a few minutes" pushing open the gate he stood aside to let them past. Following the Doctor inside Rose looked up, wary of the dark sparking clouds above.

"Doctor!" he stopped and turned around, "what are we doing here? I think it's gonna rain…"

Stepping up to her and eloping her in a tight hug he whispers that he loves her "we are here… so you can have what you want."

"What do you mean? Please explain, I don't get it"

"Snow is about to fall from those, well I say snow, the locals call it stardust. This place is stardust falls, the only place it snows. But see it only happens once every 87 years, and you are only allowed in once. It costs billions to be allowed in, all the people here must be very rich."

"Then how did we get in? And well why are we all getting snowed on?" she was looking around, her eyebrows pulled together.

"How you get in is at least a year in advance you pay for it, a few billion, and then you get a certificate saying you can be there. If you are really rich you can pay for this stamp which means you can get a little bag to collect some extra stardust" pausing for a second, they heard the collective gasp as the first few sprinkles fell from the sky.

"The dust… it delays your ageing. One snowfall usually slows your aging by a few hundred years. That's why it's so special, why it costs so much to be here. The 'start dust' is soaked in through your skin, you can also eat it."

Rose spread her arms out looking up at the sky, wonder on her face. Looking at her palms as the sparkling dust landed, and then dissolved into her skin. Experimentally Rose stuck out her tongue, giggling in surprise at the sweet tingling feeling in her mouth. Feeling like a child she spun in circles, her arms out and her head back, laughing as she got dizzier and dizzier. Eventually she stumbled up to the Doctor the world spinning. She went to give him a hug but ended up bowling him over so the both end up rolling around in the stardust. Rose stopped laughing and rolled onto the Doctor looking him in the eyes,

"Thank you" she whispered before she pressed her lips to his, kissing him fiercely before standing and pulling him up with her. Rose walked up behind him and pulled his coat of his shoulders, throwing it to the ground. She grabbed his arm and rolled up his sleeve as far as she could before doing the same to the other. "I know you regenerate… but still"

"It will just slow down my ageing, like yours. So I will stay young in this body" with that he whispered "payback" and pushed her down into the snow, tumbling down after her to kiss her soundly on the lips and lie on his back. Giggling, Rose began to swish her arms and legs,

"What are you doing?" the Doctor asked looking curious.

"Making a snow angel! Mind you this stuff is not cold in fact it sort of… tingles!" she smiled at him, the adorable smile were she puts her tongue between her teeth and gives him a cheeks grin, "pull me up, but be careful!" he carefully pulled her to her feet and looked down at the shape she had made in the thin layer of stardust, it was in fact in the shape of an angel. They both lay down in the snow, surrounded by happy laughing people. Rose was lying on her back mouth open; eyes closed eating the stardust and soaking it in her skin, hand in _her_ Doctors.

The doctor swiped his hand up Roses arm, collection dust onto his finger before liking it off and making a face at the tingling feeling. Picking up her hand he licked across the back of her hand causing Rose to jump pull her hand back,

"What the Doctor?!"

He just laughed at her and grabbed the little silver bag filling it with stardust from the grass. The pouch was small enough to be kept on a chain around your neck.

"Doctor, the stardust in that bag, how much would that help someone?" she asked propping herself up on her elbows and looking at him

"It would slow a humans ageing by about 50 years" he closed up the bag and put the cord it was on around her neck "that's if they eat if, if they just soaked it in their skin it would be about 20 years" she made a small sound in the back of her throat as she turned the string over in her fingers before smiling and kissing him. He could taste the stardust on her lips, and that made him smile. He would have her for so much longer now. He couldn't help but feel a bit selfish, taking her for himself, but he knows it's what she wants to.

Slowly the snow stopped and people started to leave, stopping at the gate and talking to the gate keeper before they left. Pulling Rose up from their last tickle fight they headed to the gate. Stopping at the gate the gate keeper pulled out what looked like the doctors sonic screw driver and buzzed over the doctor.

"So… that's 313 years, for you and…" buzzing it over Rose he gave her a slightly astonished look "428 years for you… most I have ever seen I think!" The doctor cleared his throat and the gate keeper straightened, "right yes well thank you so much for being here today" he nodded and smiled to them as they walked back to the Tardis.

"Doctor by 428 years…" she muttered looking shocked

"That's how much your ageing has been slowed by, say you live till 80? Now you add 428 years to that. You won't age very quickly you will still look this young when you are 50…"

"Wow Doctor…" They headed back into the Tardis both of them radiating happiness at the thought of the future and how long they have together.

_**Thanks for reading! Please leave a review, and let me know if you want me to continue!**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Hey guys! Im so sorry this took so long! Just getting through a major assessment period at school, so I shall begin posting more often soon. Thanks to the people who left reviews **_

_**p.s. I know it's a bit short to but school holidays about to start so I will post lots!**_

_**Disclaimer: still don't own doctor who :p **_

**Chapter two**

"how many of us have there been traveling with you?" Rose half yelled at him,

"Does it matter?" he turned to face her, looking hurt and angry

"Yeah it does if I'm just the latest in a long line!"

"As oppose to what?"

"I thought you and me were… I obviously got it wrong" she had thought they would travel forever, well Sarah Jane probably thought that once to "I've been to the year five billion but this is… nah this is really seeing the future, you just leave us behind! Is that what you're gonna do to me?" she tried to keep her voice steady, as her eyes stung, threatening tears.

"No… not to you" she could see the pain in his eyes as he spoke. He looked angry but behind it he is sad and in pain.

"But Sarah Jane… you were that close to her once and now you never even mention her! Why not?"

"I don't age, I regenerate but humans… you wither and you die. Imagine watching that happen to someone that you-" He broke off, looking over her shoulder, pain plain on his face

"You what doctor?"

"You can spend the rest of your life with me… but I can't spend the rest of my life with you, I have to live on. Alone."

"not anymore" she grabbed his shoulders and crushed her lips to his, wrapping her arms around him as she felt him calm down, pulling away she looked into his eyes, trying to convey her feelings "not anymore Doctor"

"Rose…" she realized who had just said her name and looked over the Doctor shoulders to see Mikey watching her, mouth open, and looking like he was caught between running at the Doctor, and running away. Sarah Jane just looked on in shock at the scene unfolding in front of her. "I… I knew it Rose! It's him! It will always be him!"

Rose let go of the Doctor, but he held onto her hand "No Mikey please let me explain!"

"No because it's my turn Rose, mine!" he jabbed a finger at his chest, he looked outraged, hurt "how could you do that? He is not human rose! It would never work! He is too old for you Rose, you're too young! You told me the stories, he is what 900? You will only live for 60 more if you're lucky Rose!"

"You don't get it Mikey! Just leave it okay?" with that she ran off, the Doctor running after her.

"Mikey? What's going on?" Sarah Jane stepped up to him, placing a hand on his arm.

"I just always knew this would happen she would fall for… for that _alien. _I mean he's a thing! He's not human!" he looked so hurt, so upset, he loves her and she is with him.

"It's not like that Mikey, he is a good man" she felt him tense before she continued, "I'm sure it's not what we think, because he wouldn't do that. He is an amazing, wonderful, and crazy man but he would never be with a human. We have such short lives compared to him; to the Doctor we must look like ants"

"No I think you look like giants" the Doctor walked up behind them, arms crossed. "Rose has gone back to the Tardis…"

"What is going on Doctor?" Sarah Jane asked, eyes questioning. All she could think of is how different he is, but how he is still totally the same.

"Rose is… well I wouldn't say immortal-"

"what have you done to her Doctor!?" Mikey took a step towards him, fists balled at his sides. Sarah Jane tried to put a comforting hand on his shoulder only for him to shrug it off.

Taking a deep breath the Doctor took a step back and put his hands in his pockets, "we went to a planet, and a place called stardust falls. If you go there, there is a chemical in the snow, it makes it shimmer like stardust but it also has side effects" Mikey was looking more and more angry as the Doctor spoke "it slows down ageing, Rose will now live till she is 500. We…I…She wanted to so she could travel for longer, see more of this huge universe" he glanced up at the sky as he spoke, before looking Mikey in the eye "I did this for her, it's what she wants."

"But what do you want? What was that before then?!" Sarah Jane looked like she wanted to ask the same thing.

The Doctor took a deep breath, and he looked very uncomfortable, looking down at the ground he muttered "we are together" when he heard fast footsteps he looked up, only to be slapped across the face by Sarah Jane. "OW!" he placed a hand on his cheek wincing and glaring at her "what was that for?!"

"Because you should never let that happen Doctor. I know what it's like, you have given her hope and one day you will just drop her back on earth!" and she will spend the rest of her life waiting for a man that never shows up!" she looked outraged, and so very close to tears. "You just… you should never do that Doctor!"

Swallowing the lump in his throat, the Doctor quietly spoke "It's… I love her, and – and she loves me" he cleared his throat and continued "I'm gonna go see if Rose is okay" with that he turned on his heel and walked away

* * *

Once everything was done, the aliens defeated, and the earth safe again they talked. Rose, the Doctor, Mikey and Sarah Jane were all standing outside the Tardis in a garden.

"I just don't understand how this could ever happen…" Mikey was staring at the ground still very upset

"I'm Sorry Mikey..." Rose felt horrible; the Doctor has not been helping much. He seems to become a bit socially awkward in these sorts of situations "why don't you… why don't you come with us? Just for a trip or two?"

Mikey looked up at her, "you know I could never do that Rose. You go travel with the Doctor, see the universe. And remember to visit your mum sometimes" with that he gave her a small hug and walked away, never looking back.

Looking up the Doctor smiled at Sarah Jane "what are you gonna do now? You could come with us?"

"No Doctor… you two… that used to be my life but not anymore, I can't go back to that now, I have a big world of my own! But I gotta run, I need to go see my son!" at a confused look from the Doctor she half turned away saying "It's a long story Doctor, see you later!" with that she turned and left, leaving The Doctor and Rose alone.

"Come on then Time Lord" Rose grabbed the Doctor hand and pulled him into the Tardis, wondering what would have happened if Mikey or Sarah Jane had come with them.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Thank you for the Reviews! Sorry again for the time gap, busy weekend! Will try and update by tomorrow night, since after Friday I will be away for a week but I will have lots of chapters written while I'm away so there will be daily updates after that :) **_

_**Disclaimer: don't own doctor who, as usual!**_

**Chapter Three **

Rose followed the Doctor out of the Tardis onto what appeared to be a spaceship… a rather quiet one. "Looks kind of abandoned… anyone onboard?"

"nah nothing here… well nothing dangerous… well nothing that dangerous" on second though he looks around "actually I might just do a quick scan, in case there is anything dangerous" Rose followed him over to a control desk, smiling at his antics. "Dagmar cluster! Two and a half galaxies from home"

"So what's the year? How fare have we gone?" she leaned over the controls, watching him play around with buttons

"About three thousand years into your future give or take" pulling up a lever he smiled "51st century… been some cowboys in here… there's a ton of repair work going on" a confused look passed over his face as he continued to look around "now that's odd, engines are running at full capacity… there is enough power running through this ship to punch a hole in the universe! But we're not moving…so where is all that power going?"

"And were is all the crew? Rose looked around, the place was a mess

"Good point, no life readings onboard" he looked at the screen, pushing more buttons. Rose knows he actually has no idea what he is doing, just pushing random buttons hoping it does something.

"Well we're in deep space… so they didn't just nip out for a quick fag…"

"Nope checked all the smoking pods" Rose had to muffle her giggle, he always took her jokes seriously. "Do you smell that?"

"yeah someone's cooking" but how when there is no one on board?

The Doctor pulled a lever out of curiosity and a panel behind him slid open, revealing another room and a French fireplace. "Well now there is something you don't see in your average spaceship, 18th century, French" Rose smiled as he sprinted up to it and pulled out the sonic, cause of course don't know what it is? Sonic it! "Nice mantle…" he muttered, "not a hologram, not even a reproduction! This actually is an 18th century French fire place! Double sided… look ether is another room through there!"

Rose was getting more an more confused at the Doctors words "it can't be, that's just the outer hull of the ship" she looked out a window to see, yes the outside of the ship and some beautiful stars.

"Hello!" the Doctor exclaimed. Rose whipped round and kneeled down next to the Doctor, facing her was a pretty blond girl, probably eight years old.

"Hello?" the little girl sounded very uncertain as she saw these two people appear in her fireplace.

"What's your name?" The Doctor asked, trying to put her a little at ease.

"Reinette" She peered at the strange man and the pretty blond woman.

"Reinette! That's a lovely name" he smiled at her "can you tell me where you are at the moment Reinette?"

"In my bedroom" was the man stupid?

"And where is your bedroom? Where do you live?"

"Paris of course!" he muttered about how of course Paris "Monsieur what are you doing in my fireplace?"

The Doctor took a second to reply to that one, while Rose just giggled at him and smiled at Reinette "It's just a… A routine fire check! Can you tell me what year it is?"

"Of course I can! Seventeen hundred and twenty seven"

He smiled and nodded "Right one of my favorites, August is rubbish though stay indoors" she looked at this strange man in astonishment, what in the world is he talking about? "Okay that's all for now, thanks for your help hope you enjoy the rest of the fire! Night night"

"Goodnight Monsieur " the little girl still looked astonished and confused as the Doctor and Rose stood. Rose stood, crossed her arms and gave him a questioning look.

"I said this ship was generating enough power to punch a hole in the universe didn't it? Well… I think we just found the hole… spec spacial temporal hyperlink"

"What's that?" Rose asked walking back to the fireplace and running her hands over it, examining the details.

"I don't know, just made it up, didn't want to say magic door…" Rose once again had to muffle a giggle.

"And on the other side of the… _Magic door_ is France in 1727?"

"Well she was speaking French, right period French to" the Doctor walked up next to her, running his hands over part of the Fireplace. "Gotcha!" he shouted triumphantly and Rose felt herself moving as the Fireplace rotated. Getting of the fireplace they both turned to find Reinette dark bedroom her asleep in bed. While Rose just stood and looked around the Doctor wandered over to the curtains, gently pulling them aside. Walking up next to him Rose saw a snowy street. They both spun around at a gasp from Reinette as she woke.

"It's okay! Don't scream it's just us! The Fireplace people" lighting a candle he turned to her "See? We were talking only a moment ago I was in your fireplace"

She looked at both of them confused, "Monsieur that was weeks ago! That was months!"

"Really?" the Doctor walked back over to the Fireplace and began knocking on it "Must be a lose connection, better get a man in"

Rose sat down next to Reinette and put an arm around her, trying to calm her down "My names Rose" she smiled at the little girl, rubbing reassuring circles on her back as she felt her relax a little.

"Okay that's scary…" Rose looked over and noticed it just as the Doctor did.

"You're scared of a broken clock?" Reinette asked, feeling Rose pull her arm tightly around her shoulders.

"Just a bit scared yeah… just a tiny bit cause if this clocks broken" looking around the room he continued "and it's the only clock in the room… then what's that?" Realization and horror dawned on the little girls face as she realized there was a loud ticking in the room, and no clock to be causing it. "Not a clock… it's to big you can tell by the resonance, six feet I would say, size of a man"

"What is it?" Rose asked climbing fully onto the bed with Reinette and rubbing circles on her back as both their breathing quickened.

"If you were something that ticked and you were hiding in someone's room…" he looked behind the curtains "first thing you do, break the clock. No one notices the sound of one clock ticking but two? You might start to wonder if you're really alone…"

All Rose could think was, oh God please no… not now Doctor. He walked over to them slowly, pulling out the sonic "Rose stay on the bed right in the middle, neither of you put your hands or feet over the edge. Rose crossed her legs and sat behind Reinette, giving her a reassuring hug as she felt the girl tremble. The Doctor lay on the floor and started sonicing under the bed. Rose heard and felt something spring up next to the bed as the Doctor threw himself away from the bed, instantly she positioned herself so Reinette couldn't see whatever it is.

The Doctor stood slowly to face whatever is behind them "Reinette… don't look around" he whispered. Putting her hands on the girls shoulders Rose looked behind her and tried to stay silent for the girl's sake when she saw some sort of man sized robot, disguised with French clothes and a wig. "You stay right where you are" the Doctor stared down the creepy smiling robot. Kneeling down to Reinette height he glanced at the robot before looking back at them "hold still, let me look" Rose gently squeezed Reinette shoulders as the Doctor placed a hand on either side of her head, staring intently at her eyes. "You've been scanning her brain!" the Doctor sounded angry, and Rose tried very hard not to turn around and glare at the robot, "what could there be in a little girls mind worth blowing a hole in the universe?"

"I don't understand…" Reinette muttered weakly "it wants me?" despite Roses efforts the girl tore herself from the woman's grasp facing the creature behind her "you want me?"

In cocked its head to one side, looking at her "not yet, you are incomplete"

"Incomplete? what does that mean? Incomplete?" it just looked at him "if you can answer her you can answer me! What do you mean incomplete!?" he stood brandishing his sonic. With a final hug rose stood and walked next to the Doctor as some sort of knife came out of the robots arm.

Reinette was scared for them "be careful!"

"It's okay Reinette! Just a nightmare!"

Rose and the Doctor quickly backed toward the fireplace as it advanced toward them "everyone has nightmares, even monsters from under the bed have nightmares!" the robot took a swipe at the Doctor but he darted out of the way, so it ended up stabbing its knife into the fireplace and getting stuck, "Don't ya monster?" He smiled at Reinette pulling Rose toward him.

"What do monsters have nightmares about?" Reinette asked.

The Doctor hand went to the fireplace, "Us! HA!" the fireplace span back around just as the creature came free.

"Doctor!" Rose shouted at him, he pulled some sort of ice gun of the wall and fired it at the robot, coating in in white. The creature stopped moving.

"Fire extinguisher!" the Doctor turned and threw it at Rose, who just managed to catch it.

"So were did that thing come from" she asked

"From here… trip to France, bit of a disguise. Nice needle work, it's a shame about the face." He pulled off the mask and wig, a wide grin coming onto his face as it revealed a clockwork head. "Oh you are beautiful! No really you are your gorgeous!" he pulled out his glasses "Space age clockwork I've got the chills!" he pulled out the sonic as Rose stood next to him, gazing at the beautiful thing "it would be a crime, an act of vandalism to disassemble you… but that won't stop me!"

No, what did stop him is the Robot moving its arm and disappearing. "Short range teleport, could still be onboard… don't go looking for it!" he jumped up onto the fireplace, "back in a sec"

"Oh no you don't" Rose came towards the Fireplace, but was a bit too late as it turned before she could jump on. Annoyed Rose looked down at her ice gun a small smile on her face, as she walked off in search of the robot.

* * *

On the other side of the fireplace The Doctor found the same room, but it was day time and instead of a child's room it looked to belong to an adult, including as harp near the bed, walking towards it the doctor ran his hand over it, and turned around quickly when he heard someone clear their throat behind him.

"Oh hello!" he faced a beautiful blond woman, wearing a big traditional French dress, "I was looking for Reinette… I have been away… not sure how long, this is still her room isn't it?"

That's when he heard a shout from someone else telling Reinette to come downstairs, connecting all the dots; he looked back at the woman who was now wearing a smirk. "Go to the carriage mother, I will join you there!" the woman yelled, confirming for the Doctor that this woman is in fact Reinette. "It is customary I think to have an imaginary friends only during ones childhood, you are to be congratulated on your persistence… but where is Rose?" she smiled at him, so glad to see him.

He almost laughed "Reinette! Goodness… how you've grown… um yeah she couldn't make it"

Reinette nodded, walking towards him "you do not appear to have aged a single day… how incredibly impolite of you."

The Doctor stammered for words as Reinette, all grown up and gorgeous walked closer and closer to him "right… yes um well lovely to catch up but I better be off eh? Don't want your mother finding you up here with a strange man" the Doctor backed away slightly, thinking of Rose. She followed him "strange? How could you be a stranger to me? I have known you since I was seven years old…"

"Um yeah I suppose you have… haha I came the quick route" he stopped as she placed a gentle hand on his cheek, looking intently at him

"You seem to be flesh and blood at any rate but this is obscured! Reason tells me you cannot be real"

"Ah well you never want to listen to reason"

She placed a hand on his chest as a voice yelled up to her "mademoiselle! Your mother grows impatient!"

"A moment!" she yelled back before turning her eyes to the Doctors. "So many questions, so little time". With that she pulled him towards her, crushing her lips to his.

The Doctor allowed himself a moment of pleasure before her darted away from her to the fireplace, his thoughts on Rose, she looked at him, hurt "I… I'm sorry, I um I'm with Rose" she nodded at him, smiled at left as a man came up looking for her.

"Mademoiselle Poisson!" he stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the Doctor.

"Wait Poisson? Reinette Poisson? No! no no no no no!" he laughed a huge grin on his face " Reinette Poisson? The uncrowned queen of France?! Actress, artist, musician, dancer? Fantastic Gardner!" he laughed as he realized who she is, and the man continued to stare at him.

"Who the HELL are you?!"

"I'm the Doctor! And I just snogged Madam De Pompadour!" he spun the fire place back around laughing, expecting to find Rose waiting but finding no one.

"Rose? Ugh every time, every time!" he talked to himself as he walked "I tell her I do! Rule one, there could be anything on this ship!"

Stopping in his tracks the Doctors words that there could be anything, took on a new meaning when he found himself face to face with a horse.

* * *

Rose had been exploring for a while, and so far had found not a lot. Well that was until she found _this. _In front of her was a security camera, she had noticed them around the place earlier but had not looked closely, or thought to much of it. But when this one came out from the wall and stopped right in front of her face, making a clicking sound, than pulling back Rose was horrified. In the camera was an actual _eye. _A real, human eye. She shook herself and continued, looking repeatedly over her shoulder, hand on her ice gun. She was walking when she heard a strange thumping, it was the sound of a heart beat and it was coming from a small hatch in the wall. Carefully pulling it open she gasped eyes going wide, because wire into the machinery was a human heart. This ship is sick. It's full of human… parts.

* * *

The horse was still following him. It wouldn't go away! "Stop following me" turned putting up his hands up "I'm not your mother!"

Finding two doors, another window to France he opened them "this where you came from hey horsey?" opening the doors he found a huge park, ponds, green grace, big trees. And walking with an umbrella to block the blazing sun and a friend was Reinette. He had mixed feeling about her, she was amazing, clever, beautiful. But he still saw her as a bit of the little girl he saw not that long ago. Plus he loves Rose; there is no other for him. He smiled watching her walking and laughing with her friend, ducking quickly behind a post when he saw her look over her shoulder.

* * *

Rose rounded a corner finding a window. Through it she saw a very posh looking lounge room, were a man walked pompously through the door into the room. No I thinks this is a mirror… he looked so absolutely full of himself "god who does this guy think he is?"

"King of France!" came a voice from behind her, looking over her shoulder she found the Doctor.

"Here's trouble" she smiled looking back to the mirror, "what've you been up to?"

"Oh this and that, became the imaginary friend of a future French aristocrat, picked a fight with a clock work man…" Rose hears the neigh of a horse behind them "oh and I met a horse… see these" he taped the window "they are all over the place, on every deck… gateways to history, but not any history. Hers" he pointed to a beautiful blond woman who had just entered and curtsied to the king, "time windows. All arranged along the life of one particular woman, a space ship from the 51st century _stalking _a woman from the 18th, _why_?"

"Who is she?" the woman was walking circles around the king, before leaning in and whispering in his ear.

"Reinette Poisson. One of the most accomplished women who ever lived"

"As in Reinette from the fireplace?" the Doctor nodded, watching. "wow… so she has plans on being the queen then?"

"No no he has already got a queen. She plans on being his mistress." Rose giggled as she watched.

"Oooh I get it, _Camilla_" she laughed, as the Doctor looked disapproving.

"I think this is the night they met… in no time flat she will have herself established as his official mistress, her own rooms at the palace and even her own title. Madam De Pompadour"

"Queen must have loved her…" Rose watched as Reinette came up to the mirror and looked at herself, straightening her dress.

"Oh she did, they got on very well" Rose huffed slightly in astonishment "France… different planet" they watched as Madam De Pompadours face became alarmed, and she turned to see one of the robots. The Doctor jumped, pushing on the mirror, and running into the room. "Hello Reinette! Hasn't time flown?"

"Fireplace man?! Rose?!"

_**So I decided to stop it there cause if I tried to shove it all in one chapter it would be waay to long! Please make my day and let me know what you think xo**_


	4. Chapter 4

**hello guys! wow i am really sorry about the last few months... I was so busy and had no time for fan fiction! anyway here is a nice long chapter!**

**Chapter Four **

Rose ran to the robot, covering it from wigged head to robotic toe in ice as Reinette watched on, mouth half open. Rose ran back towards Reinette as the doctor approached it. There was a strange clicking noise coming from the robot, like a clock stuck, trying to tick.

"What's it doing?" Rose asked looking on as the Doctor circled it.

"Turning back on, melting the ice"

"And then what?"

"Then it kills everyone in the room" he had to jump back as the knife sprang from its arm, making Rose and Madam De Pompadour jump. "Focuses the mind doesn't it? Who are you? Identify yourself!" The Doctor stared at the robot before huffing and turning to Reinette, his hands in his pockets "order it to answer me?"

"Why would it listen to me?" she still looked baffled at the sudden intrusion.

"It did when you were a child…" he walked up behind her whispering in her ear "let's see if you still got it" before stepping around to stand between her and Rose.

Reinette's face turned determined and she raised her head slightly, turning to face the robot, "answer his question" it made no response "answer any and all questions put to you!"

The robot tilted its head to the side and lowered its arm, "I am repair droid seven"

The doctor walked slightly closer to it, but staying out of arms reach "well what happened to the ship then? There was a lot of damage" his voice was dangerously quiet Rose thought, he wants his answers and if he doesn't get them Rose thinks she will be dealing with a rather cranky Time lord.

"82% systems failing"

"What's taken so long? That ship has not moved in over a year?"

"We did not have the parts"

Rose could practically hear the clogs turning in the Doctors head as he tried to piece together the puzzle, she gave him a questioning look.

"What happened to the crew? Where are they?" the Doctor demanded

"We did not have the parts"

"There should have been over fifty people on that ship, where did they GO?"

"We did not have the parts"

"Fifty people don't just disappear!" he walked slowly towards the droid but then stopped dead in his tracks, realization on his face "oh… you didn't have the parts… so you used the crew"

Rose looked horrified "I found a camera with an eye in it, and… and a heart, wired into machinery" He sighed and looked over to her.

"It's just doing what it was programed to, repair the ship any way it can with whatever it can find. What did you say the flight deck smelled of?"

Rose felt sick, and Madam de Pompadour looked about the same "someone cooking"

"Flesh plus heat… barbeque… but why open up time windows? That takes colossal energy! You could have gone to your repair yard, but you came to 18th century France? Why?!"

"One more part is required" the robot turned its head toward Reinette, the doctor was looking more and more worried every second. Reinette looked scared out of her wits.

"Then why haven't you taken it?" he asked quietly

"She is incomplete"

"Incomplete? So that's the plan then. Just keep opening more time windows, checking to see if she is done yet?" he made a bit of a face and turned away from the droid.

"Why her?" Rose spoke up, gaining the rooms attention "you have all of history to choose from, why her?

The robot tilted its head staring at Reinette "we are the same" she looked disgusted.

"We are not the same! We are in no sense the same!" she shouted at the robot

"We are the same" it repeated.

"Get out! Get out of here! Get out of here this instance!" Madam de Pompadour ordered it; the robot slightly bowed its head before vanishing.

"It's back on the ship!" the doctor ran back to the mirror, turning it to open the entrance to the ship "Rose take Arthur and follow it. Don't approach it just watch what it does"

"Arthur?" Rose asked

"Good name for a horse!" the Doctor replied quickly.

Rose sighed "you're not keeping the Horse!"

"Just Go! Go, go, go!" he beckoned her out the door and she ran off to find the Robot. The Doctor pushed it closed and turned back to Reinette.

"Reinette you're going to have to trust me. I have to find out what they are looking for and there is only one way I can" he walked toward her slowly, and locking his eyes with hers he raised his fingers to her temples, before closing his eyes and lifting his head, looking like he was listening to something.

"Fireplace man! You are inside my mind" she also closed her eyes, frowning. The doctor's face became worried,

"Dear Reinette…. You have had some cowboys in here…"

"You are in my memories! You walk among them"

"If there is anything you don't want me to see just imagine a door, and close it. I won't look" his eyebrows shot up, and Reinette opened her eyes to watch his face "ooh there is a door you might want to close, ah actually several"

She bit back a laugh, taking a deep breath and calming herself, "to walk among the memories of another living soul… do you ever get used to this?"

"I don't make a habit of it" he muttered, his face fixed in concentration.

"How can you resist?" her eyes were closed again, as she smiled

"What age are you?" the Doctor asked abruptly.

"Such impertinent questions so early in the conversation! How promising" she smirked at him through closed eyes.

"no, no not my question… theirs" his eyebrows lowered again in concentration "your 23 and for some reason that means you're not old enough" he felt a tickling in his mind, but dismissed it just as he felt dinette stir slightly beneath his hands as she gasped. "Sorry old memories might re awaken. Side effect"

"Oh such a lonely childhood…." Her face looked concentrated yet so, so sad. The doctor assumed she was remembering memories of her own.

"It will pass. Stay with me."

"Oh Doctor" hey eyelids flickered "so alone so very, very alone"

"What are you talking about? You have never been alone in your life" his eyes snapped open but he kept his hands on either side of Reinette's head as he stared at her closed eyes, "when did you start calling me Doctor?"

"Such a lonely little boy…. Lonely then and lonelier now" her eyes opened to gaze into his, "how do you bear it?" The Doctor quickly pulled his hands from her face, taking a step back, his face confused.

"How did you do that?" the doctor asked his voice quiet again.

"A door once opened can be stepped through in either direction" she said as though it was the most obvious thing in the world, she closed the gap between them and took his hands in her own, "oh Doctor… my lonely doctor… dance with me"

He looked down at her "I can't"

"Dance with me." Her voice was becoming demanding.

"This is the night you dance with the king" he pulled his hands out of hers, but did not step away,

"Then first I shall make him jealous!"

"I can't!"

She sighed and looked into his eyes, "Doctor… Doctor who? Its more than just a secret isn't it?" The doctor was frozen in place.

"What did you see?" he whispered

"That there comes a time, Time lord, that every lonely little boy must learn how to dance"

She took his hand and led him out of the room.

* * *

Rose was looking for the droid, her ice gun held firmly in her hands. She wanted to go back and see what the doctor was doing, honestly she was worried. Worried that this pretty French girl was stealing _her _Doctor. She was snapped out of her thoughts when she felt metal arms around her neck, before everything went black.

* * *

Rose awoke to the sound of ticking clocks, and the feel of cold metal on her wrists. When she opened her eyes and her blurry vision focused, she pushed backward into whatever it was restraining her when she saw a droid standing right next her, staring at her. She was on some sort of leather feeling thing with metal straps on her wrists and ankles. She struggled hopelessly for a minute before huffing and laying her head back.

"You are compatible" Rose knew that could only mean one thing. It was going to chop her up and stick her all over this stupid ship.

"Ah um well" she stammered lifting her head "you might want to think about that, you really, really might… cause I didn't come here alone! And you do not want to mess with my designated driver!" the knife sprang out of the droids arm and it held it close to her neck. Rose's breath quickened as she stared at it. "Ever heard of the Dalek's!? Remember them?! They had myths about him! Myths and a name about my… friend" she heard a drunken singing and crashing and she started to struggle again "they called him the-" she was interrupted a crashing noise, "they called him the-" another crash as the Doctor danced into the room, his tie around his head and a glass of wine in his hand.

He broke off his singing to look at Rose through his sunglasses "have you met the French?! My GOD they know how to party!" Rose was outraged. Here she was, on the brink of being killed and he has been off doing what?!

"Oh look what the cat dragged in! The oncoming storm!"

He just gave her a look "you sound just like your mother!"

"What the hell have you been doing?! Where have you been!?"

"Well… among other things, I _think_ I just invented the banana daiquiri a couple of centuries early! Always take a banana to a party Rose" he stepped towards her "bananas are good!" finally looking at the droid he began laughing "awe look it's you! You're my favorite you are! You are the best!" he walked right up to it, glancing at the arm at Roses throat, "do you know why? Cause your thick! You're so thick! Your Mr. thick hick thickity thick face, from thick tow, thickania! And so's your dad!" laughing he looked at Rose, "do you know what they were scanning Reinette's brain for? Haha her milometer! They want to know how old she is! Do you know why? Because this ship is 37 years old, and they think that when she is 37 years old, when she is 'complete' her brain will be compatible!" looking into the face of one of the other droids he continued "because that's what your missing eh? Your command circuit! Your ship needs a brain! And for some reason, god knows why, only the brain of madam de pompadour will do!"

Still looking at Rose the Robot spoke, "the brain is compatible"

"Ha!" walking up behind it the doctor raised the hand that was not holding a glass to the droids wig "if you believe that you probably believe this is a glass of wine!" he pulled off the wig and mask and pored red liquid over its head, and its ticking came to a stop. Rose threw her head back in relief as the robots arm lowered, and it half fell to the ground "multi grade anti-oil!" the doctor explained "if it moves, it doesn't!" walking to a desk the doctor flipped a switched and all the robots stopped moving.

"Right that's enough lying about!" placing a quick kiss on Rose's lips he soniced the restraints and they clicked free, Rose jumped away from it immediately. The Doctor was running around some computers, looking at things.

"We need to close all the time windows!" patting his pockets he sighed in exasperation "where are my Zeus plugs?! I had them a minute ago! I was using them as castanets!"

Rose was barely listening, lost in her own thoughts "Why didn't they just open a time window to when she was 37?"

"Too much damage to the circuits, they were lucky to hit the right century" flicking more switches the Doctor continued "it's sort of trial and error after that…. The windows won't close" there was a strange dinging sound.

"What was that?" Rose asked

"Incoming message, report from the field? Agh one of them must still be out there with Reinette! That's why I can't close the windows, cause there's an override!" just then the Robot behind the Doctor moved, spraying the anti-oil out of its finger, "oh… that was a bit clever…" there was the strange dinging sound again as all the Robots started moving again. "Oh this is not good… messaging from one of your little friends? Anything interesting?"

"She is complete. It begins." All the robots vanished with that.

"What's happening?!" Rose ran over to the Doctor

"One of them must have found the right time window… and this time they are bringing back her head!"

"Doctor what can I do?"

He turned to her, his face softening slightly when he looked into her worried eyes; he placed a hand on her cheek, hoping to calm her down. He placed a kiss on her head before talking. "I need to do some things, go find Reinette, warn her that this is gonna happen, maybe it will help"

Rose nodded "okay" she turned at ran off down a corridor.

* * *

"Madam de Pompadour?" Reinette jumped and turned around at the familiar voice. Behind her standing in a doorway was Rose. It had been years since she last saw Rose, she was 32 now and Rose as ever had not aged one bit. She lifted the hem of her dress of the floor and rushed over to Rose, giving her a hug and greeting her like an old friend. She still remembers the night she first met Rose, when she was a small child. She had been young and afraid but Rose had comforted her and made her safe, just like the Doctor.

"Rose? What are you doing here?" they both sat down on a chair to talk. Rose looked stressed and worried.

"I um I'm here to warn you, they will be here in five years. Sometime after your 37th birthday…" she took Reinette's hand as the older woman took a deep breath "I'm sorry I can't give you an exact date but they are coming, it's gonna happen. In a way, for us its already happening" Rose watched the confusion sweep over Reinette's face "I'm sorry I'm not explaining this very well, the Doctor does this better" Rose gave her a small smile.

"Well explain Rose, be concise and I will be attentive"

"There isn't time" Rose wrung her hands in her lap, glancing over back at the door she came through.

"There are five years!" gosh she has a temper Rose thought as she watched the frustration in Reinette's eyes.

"yeah for you, I haven't got five minutes" seeing the look the other woman gave her Rose took a shaky deep breath and tried her best to explain "there is a… a vessel. A ship, a sort of… sky ship. And it's full of well you. Different bits of your life all jumbled up" Reinette frowned as she listened "sorry I told you it was complicated"

"there is a vessel in your world were the days of my life are pressed together like the chapters of a book so you may step from one to the other without increase of age while I, weary traveler must take the slower path?"

"I'm sorry…."

"So when these things come, what am I to do?"

"The Doctor says to keep them talking, they are sort of programed to respond to you now. You won't be able to stop them but you might be able to… delay them a bit"

"Until what?"

"Until the Doctor can get there"

"So he is coming?"

"Yeah we promise"

"But… he cannot make his promises in person?" she looked hurt, and stared down at her hands. Her voice was quiet and sad.

"He will be there when you need him, that's how it's gotta be" she looked at Reinette until she looked up to meet her eyes. Rose placed a gentle hand over hers, "thing is, none of this was ever supposed to happen to you. These things are messing with history" Reinette tore her hands away from Rose's and narrowed her eyes,

"Supposed to happen!? What does that mean? It happened Rose! And I would not have it any other way!" she stood and walked a bit away from Rose, before turning back to her.

"That's how it always has been the monsters, and the Doctor and Rose! One can tolerate a world of daemons for the sake of angels" they were interrupted by a scream. Rose realized she had not pulled back the tapestry that was separating the two worlds, leaving it wide open. Reinette jumped and without Rose being able to stop her she picked up her dress so it won't drag on the floor and ran through the link onto the ship,

"Reinette! No you can't go in there!" Rose watched as she looked around and her face became slowly more shocked and disbelief was plain in her eyes.

"So this is his world…" she muttered looking around her only to hear a high pitched scream "what is that?! Those screams… is that my future!?"

"Yeah I'm sorry…" Reinette shrugged of the hand Rose had placed on her shoulder and whipped her head around when she heard a frantic shouting,

"Doctor! I need you now! You promised! The clock on the mantle is broken! Doctor?! ROSE?!"

Reinette's face became pale "that's my voice" Rose nodded "so that's my future… and I must take the slower path"

"Are you okay?" the other woman looked close to tears

"No Rose, I am very, very afraid… but we both know it don't we Rose? The Doctor is worth the monsters" without another word Reinette turned and walked quickly back into her world.

* * *

Rose found the Doctor his face strained, pulling franticly and levers and pushing buttons. In front of him on what looked like a huge screen, but what was really a window, the drama played out. Rose could hear the screams of the people, desperate cries for help as the droids descended onto their world.

"You… you found it then"

The Doctors face was blank but his eyes showed the frustration he was feeling, "they knew I was coming, they blocked it off"

"Well how did they get in there?"

"They have a link to the ship, short range teleport does the trick"

"Well why don't we just go in the Tardis?!"

"We can't go in the Tardis! We are part of events now!"

"Can we just smash through?"

"Hyper plex this side, plate glass the other! We would need a truck!"

"Well we don't have a truck!"

The Doctor whipped to face her, his frustration very clear "I know we don't have a truck!"

"Well we have got to try something!"

"No. smash the glass smash the time window… there would be no way back"

* * *

Reinette felt her heart beating franticly as she gave up on shouting for the Doctor. She knew he was coming; he was just waiting until the right moment.

"Who is this Doctor?" the King of France looked at her

"The only man, save you, I have ever loved" at the look on his face she cut him off before he could say anything "no don't look like that, you have your duties. I am your mistress, go to your queen" as he left three droids entered the room, she heard the metallic voices filling the entire estate, and now these three spoke to her.

"You are complete. You will come."

The one that looked to be in charge grabbed her arm and lead her out of the room, towards the ball room.

"Where are we going?"

"We require proximity to the time portal"

"Your words mean nothing! You are nothing!" she snapped at the creature as she continued to hold her head up high, staying the proud person she is and refusing to let fear take over her. as she entered the ball room she tore away from the robot and went quickly to the center of the room.

"QUIET please, such commotion! Such _distressing _noise" now she had the attention off all in the room she continued "kindly remember this is the royal court! And we are French!" she turned to face the droids that were approaching her and they stopped and watched her as she spoke, "I have made a decision. And my decision is no. I shall not be going with you today. I have seen your world and I have no desire to set foot there again."

As she finished speaking the droids all advanced on her one pushing her to her knees, "we do not require your feet" their weapons sprung from their arms as Reinette was surrounded by them, all holding knives to her neck. She looked up at them,

"You think I fear you. But I do not fear you even now. You are merely the night mare from my childhood, the creature from under my bed. And if my nightmare can return to plague me then rest assured..." she whispered the last few words "_so will yours_"

The silence was broken by the sound of a horse and the clatter of hooves. Everyone screamed as a panel of a wall shattered open, a man on a horse barging through, and winking at her as he dismounted, "Madam de Pompadour! You look younger every day!"

_Ah my Doctor _she thought _you have come to save me_.

The king of France looked back and forth between the two "what is going on!"

"Doctor this is my lover, the king of France"

"Yeah? Well I'm the lord of time" he approached the droid "and I am here to fix a clock!" gasps escaped all in the room as her pulled off the wig and mask of one of the robots, it immediately raised its weapon toward the Doctor, "forget it! It's over… for you and for me…" he looked up to where there was before a time window but now was a brick wall. He muttered to himself "seven years of bad luck? Try three thousand…"

* * *

Rose stood facing the glass that just moments ago had shown a royal court but now was gone, nothing remained but a few shards of glass, she could see through to another room on the ship. The time window was gone and with it, her time lord.

* * *

The Doctor watched the Droid pressing franticly at the teleport button on its sleeve, but nothing happened "the link with the ship is broken" it moved its head to face him "you don't have the parts… how many ticks left in that clockwork heart? A day? An hour? It's over, accept that" he watched as one by one the droids all fell to the ground, defeated.

The doctor helped Reinette to her feet "what happened to them?" she asked

"They stopped. They have no purpose now"

* * *

A little while later the Doctor found himself somewhere he never thought he would be. Stuck in France, no Tardis. Standing beside a window with Madam de Pompadour, gazing out at the stars.

"You know all their names don't you? I saw that in your mind. The name of every star"

"What's in a name" the Doctor muttered "it's just a title, titles don't tell you anything"

"Like _The Doctor_" She tried to hide her smile

"Like _Madam de Pompadour_" after a silence she spoke again

"I have often wished to see those stars a little closer… like you have"

"From time to time" he nodded

"… In saving me you trapped yourself, did you know that would happen?"

"Mmm pretty much"

"Yet still you came" she smiled at him, and he returned it.

"Yeah, I suppose I did yeah…. You won't catch me doing that again" he muttered the last part, looking back out the window.

"There were many windows between my world and yours… can you not use one of them?"

"When I smashed the time window I broke the link with the ship…. There is no way back. There will be a few more broken mirrors and torn tapestries around here I'm afraid… I um I – I will pay for any damages" she smiled and tried to hide her laughter "that's a thought… I'm gonna need money. I have always been a bit vague about money… where do you get money?" there was a companionable silence between them.

"So here you are… my lonely angel…. Stuck on the slow path with me"

"Yup" he looked back at her

"It's funny… I think I would have enjoyed the slow path"

"Well… I'm not going anywhere"

"Oh aren't you. Take my hand" she held his hand and led him out of the room. She led him into her bedroom, "I had it moved here a while ago… and I was exact in every detail"

The Doctor looked across the room "the fireplace… the fire place from your bedroom" he walked toward it "when did you do this?"

"Many years ago" she followed him across the room "in the hope that a door once opened may be opened again. One never quiet knows when one needs ones doctor… do you think it will still work?"

"You broke the bond with the ship when you moved it, so it was offline when the time window broke… that's what saved it… the link is basically physical so if I am lucky… if I am very, very lucky" he knocked on the fire place and soniced and laughed when he heard a metallic click.

"What?"

"Haha! Lose connection!" he stood onto the fire place and turned to her "wish me luck" he began to make it turn around when he saw her face fall.

"No…" she muttered

As soon as he got back onto the ship he looked back through the fireplace "Madam de Pompadour!"

She looked back through it at him,

"Still want to see those stars?"

"More than anything!"

"Pack a bag! Just give me two minutes"

"Am I going somewhere?"

He smiled at her "go to the window, pick a star… any star" as she ran off he turned to see Rose running towards him.

He pressed his lips to hers quickly before looking into her worried eyes "how long did you wait?"

"Five and a half hours!"

"Great! Always wait five and a half hours!" he pulled back from the hug.

"Where have you been?!"

"I'll tell you later, go to the Tardis! I'll be there in a sec!" he turned and ran back into the room with the fireplace. Rose watched through the doorway as the Doctor yelled for Reinette, and jumped onto the fireplace as it span around.

* * *

The Doctor walked into the now dark room in France "Reinette!" there was no reply "Reinette!"

Eventually he found the king of France looking a bit older, staring sadly out a window, "oh! Hello!"

The other man looked over at the Doctor "you just missed her" his voice was sad "she will be in Paris by six" he turned and walked towards the time lord "good lord… she was right… she said you ever looked a day older. So many years since I saw you last and yet not a day of it on your face…" he walked silently over to a desk and pulled out two envelopes, "she spoke of you both many time, often wished you would visit again… you know how women are" he handed the Doctor the two envelopes, one addressed to him and one to Rose.

The Doctor heard the crack of a whip, and the sound of horse's hooves "there she goes… leaving for the last time" sadness filled the room as they both watched carriage holding a coffin, drawn by two black horses. "Only 43 when she died… to young, to young… illness took her in the end, she always did work too hard" both men had tears in their eyes as they watched the carriage leave, rain pouring from the sky. He turned to the Doctor looking at the letters "what does she say?"

The Doctor face was serious as without a word he put both the letters in his coat pocket, the king turned away "of course… quite right"

* * *

The Doctor walked back into the Tardis to find Rose standing by the Console, "why her?" she asked "why did they think they could repair the ship with the head of Madam de Pompadour?"

"I don't think we will ever know… there was massive damage to the memory bank, probably got confused" he approached rose and hugged her pulling out the letter and handing it her, "she um she wrote you this" then he backed away and approached the console.

"The Tardis can shut down the time windows now that the droids are gone. They won't be causing any more trouble…"

Rose saw the sadness in his eyes, "Doctor are you alright?"

"Of course I am, I'm always alright" he gave her a week smile and turned back to the console, eventually Rose turned and went to her room to read her soon as she left the doctor pulled out his letter and opened it, he read,

_Dear Doctor, _

_The path has never seemed so slow yet I fear I am nearing its end. Reason tells me we are unlikely to meet again, but I think I shall not listen to reason. _

_I have seen the world inside your head and I know all things are possible, hurry though my love. My days grow shorter and I am so very weak. _

_God speed my lonely angel _

A single tear escaped the Doctors eye as he pulled a lever and shut down the time windows. At the same time back in her room, a tear slid down Rose's face as she read. Reinette had told her about her life, how she loved the Doctor, and how Rose was like an angel of protection always making her feel safe. She told her to look after the Doctor, and always be there with him. _I will_ she thought _forever._

As the Tardis de materialized the Doctor got information from the ship. It was called the _SS Madam de Pompadour._ He heard footsteps behind him and found Rose, a tear on her cheek, and letter in hand. He ran to her, needing her right now. He placed one hand on her cheek and wiped her tear away, kissing the spot where it was. Rose gave him a small smile as she hugged him, clutching her letter in her hand.

**thanks for reading! please make my day and leave a review! will update again ASAP :) **


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